It's the last full week of January, so I'm still allowed to wish you all a HAPPY New Year!
And although 2021 hasn't started dramatically different from the way in which 2020 ended, we can still have hope that the coming year will unfold itself more beautifully than 2020 turned out to be.
It's probably also the last moment to look back at and reflect on the festive season, before we jump into the adventure that 2021 might be.
So let's return to the end of December 2020, and let me explain why I think we all need Christmas and New Year... all year long!
My youngest daughter, Elien -now 6 years old-, has a lively imagination. She can be TOTALLY into a story. A year ago, I even made her believe that I turned her into a squirrel
(naughty dad I am...).
The funny thing with her, is that you're never absolutely sure whether she's totally into the story and actually fully believes it, or that she's a master actor and plays along so well that you, in the end, believe that she believes :-)
(so it can be that every time I try to fool her, she's actually frolicking me even harder :-) ).
Anyway, on Christmas Eve, she was TOTALLY into Santa's story: the flying sledge, the chimney, the presents,...
We turned on Google's Santa tracker, and by the time he was supposed to be in the neighbourhood, she was constantly gazing out of the window. Even while we were watching a movie all together, she was the one that regularly turned away from the TV screen to scan the skyline.
And that's the beauty of Christmas for me!
I don't refer to Christmas with a religious background or meaning; I don't refer to Christmas as if it would be only something for people with a Christian background; no, for me, Christmas is all about the story of Santa, and the fact that we can believe in something.
Imagine what would happen if we all -sincerely, profoundly and all year long- could believe in the reward of being a good person.
Imagine what would happen if we all -sincerely, profoundly and all year long- could believe in the fact that magic could actually happen.
Imagine what would happen if we all -sincerely, profoundly and all year long- could believe in ourselves.
That's what Christmas is all about for me, and that's what I'm wishing you throughout the upcoming year!
And the magic of the festive season doesn't stop there!
One week after Christmas, it's New Year. And on New Year's Day, there's the century-old tradition of the Wiener Philharmoniker to perform it's New Year's concert in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna.
It's a tradition, broadcasted to all corners of the world.
And because of that, it's an immense honour for the conductor who is invited to guide the orchestra throughout their performance.
But did you know, that it's the orchestra itself that chooses their conductor for this concert?
From a leadership perspective: WOW! What an inspiring way to start every new year!
The leader is chosen by the team, not the other way around!
It's not the orchestra's big boss who selects the conductor and forces him/her onto the orchestra, it's not the conductor who tries to sell himself to the orchestra in competition with other conductors, no, it's the orchestra that picks who they want to work with for that memorable performance!
Imagine what that would give if the same was applied in corporate life or to your own company...
The team has to choose the leader they want to work with: the leader they believe most in to bring out the best of them and to perform to the best of their abilities!
Combine these 2 elements, believing and a team's power, and you get a magical cocktail that's the fuel for a new year!
So, if your fuel and new year resolutions are already burned up by the end of January, start to question yourself:
- As a leader:
Would you be chosen by your team to lead them through 2021 and make them perform at the best of their abilities?
- As a human being:
Have you forgotten to believe in the magic that could happen?
Have you ended up in a state of terminal seriousness?
If your answer to the first (the leadership) question is "
NO", or if one of the answers to the second and third question is "
YES", then you still have 11 months to change things around and feel the difference during the next festive season at the end of 2021!
Book an appointment with us -a Clarity session to go fully in-depth, or a (re-)connect session to simply discuss this content- and we will be happy to help you play more, dream more, believe more, and make you radiate that all into a whirling enthusiasm that you transfer to your team so you become their preferred and chosen leader!
Click the button, choose 'Online Services', select a Clarity-session or (re-)connect session, choose your coach, and pick the moment that suits you best to have the conversation.
Or just send me an email.
Written by
Dennis Fredrickx, Coach for Ambitous Leaders
Dennis helps Ambitious Leaders to reach more in an easier way.
